Friendship
by Sunsteps101
Summary: Apollo visits Meg long after their adventures together, as she starts university. She can't quite seem to let go. Oneshot.


I kept my head down as I walked through the driving rain. I wasn't getting the least bit wet however, as my restored godly powers did come with a few benefits. Normally, I would've given my signature smile to some of the prettier students at the university but today I was on a mission.

I was off to see my dear friend Meg McCaffrey.

I had of course kept in touch after our of initial quest together - we had become fast friends, and I had made it clear to my father that I would be maintaining this friendship following my return to Olympus. Artemis had backed my up. Zeus acquiesced. It had been years now and Meg was in the first year of her degree, following a course in botany. I couldn't be prouder of her. This is an outstanding achievement for anyone but for a demigod with dyslexia and ADHD it is especially commendable. I do attribute part of this to my training throughout the years, but she definitely deserved it.

I reached the door to her halls and rang the bell. I could have simply teleported inside, but I felt this would have been a little rude. I also may have got punched again. I did not like being punched.

My friend opened the door almost immediately, I assumed she had seen my coming. She now recognised my normal chosen form as opposed to the Lester she had got used to when I had first met her. I was a good bit taller than her still, and had restored my former divine beauty to that of a sandy haired 21 year old male. She looked just has she had when I'd last seen her two months ago - an adult now at 18, and just as pretty as I thought she would be at this age on the day we met.

Meg grinned as I hugged her in welcome. She then punched me in the shoulder, "You're late."

"I know, I know, but the best things are worth waiting for!", I responded.

We moved through to her room. It was decorated in primary colours, with a few potted plants hanging out on the windowsill. No surprises there. I sat on the bed as she span to face me in her desk chair, putting her legs in my lap.

"So," she said, "what've you been up to?"

"Not much. All the usual stuff you know. Keeping the peace between Hermes and Ares, blessing the odd musician, bringing light to the world."

She frowned slightly. "Sounds boring. Not like you. You should come around more - the first week here has been wild. I don't think I've ever seen so many people throw up in my life."

I smiled as we continued to chat. It was nice to hear about her life, giving me a stable connection to the mortal world. My promise to Jason had not been forgotten. Even now I was petitioning the other gods to open their minds to our contemptuous treatment of mortals - slow going, but I was trying. My semi-regular meeting with Meg helped cement why this was important.

After a while, all of our respective updates were covered. I leaned in. "So, are you ready?"

She bent forward to match me. "Let's go."

* * *

Of all the students I had ever attempted to teach the piano, Meg was one of the most frustrating. I had taught - and sired - some of the greatest performers and artists in world, yet Meg just couldn't seem to put her finger on it. Literally. I winced as she hit another wrong note. Her version of the first movement of Moonlight Sonata was significantly different to what Beethoven had intended - and I knew as I'd been there when it was written.

The piano actually being in the room was one of the perks Meg had acquired from having the god of music as her teacher. I had simply caused it to appear in the small room for the duration of our lesson; for her practise she had an electric keyboard (a gift from yours truly) but I didn't want to drag myself down to that level. Silently, I wondered if her neighbours noticed the difference.

We sat side by side on the piano stool so I could watch her hands as she played. Despite the wrong notes, she genuinely seemed to be enjoying herself which is why I assumed she'd stuck with her goal after all these years. That, or she was just being stubborn.

"Right." I said, gently nudging her over, "Shove over, let me show you how it's done."

I flew through the piece as she watched, swaying in time to the music. Meg seemed happy to listen as I played. She leaned her head against my shoulder and sighed contentedly as I came to the final notes. "You know, for all the joking about you do, you really can play."

"Keeping working at it, you'll get better!" I assured her.

We continued with our practise, working through scales and arpeggios, before moving onto some sight reading. I loved teaching these lessons, as it meant I could share one of my favourite gift with one of my closest friends. Ares has mocked me for it, but I didn't care. At least, I didn't care after I had shot him.

After an hour or so we returned to our original positions, now with drinks. Lemonade for me, Coke for Meg. We joked about our respective techniques on the piano. I suggested we should move her plants outside for her next lesson for fear it was stunting their growth. This earned me a kick in the left shin.

I kicked back at her foot with my own. "Do not toy with me mortal, I could end you right now."

I was joking of course, and she knew it. She laughed and jabbed her fingers into my side. I grabbed her wrist and pulled her to her feet, allowing me to do the same. This turned out to be much more effective on her than it had been on me as she howled and tried to jerk away from me. "Stop that, you jerk!"

"Um, I don't think I was the one who started this. So no, I will not."

Sadly for her, she couldn't shift my grip from her wrist. This left me the perfect angle open for more tickling. She did however have the strength to use my grip on her wrist to yank me to my feet. She then got me just under my arms - I yelped, for i was very ticklish there. Predictably this in a hand slap battle on one side, while trying to push the other back using the other hand.

Meg almost got my by stopping pulling with with hand I had a grip on and moving forwards instead, but as she moved I simply spun her under my arm in a dancer's turn. "My dear, you will have to do much better than that!"

I regretted those words almost as soon as they had left my mouth. By "do better" she had taken this to mean "please kick me in the back of the knee". This caused me to collapse to the floor, dragging her with me.

"So graceful." she sniggered.

I booted her in the chest, pulling myself up to lean against the bed. "Says you."

She crouched there, holding my gaze for a minute. I smiled back at her. I will say I very much expected her just to simply smile back at me as she always had, rather than to climb into my lap.

I stared at her with my eyes wide. "Meg?"

She didn't respond as she leant forward to kiss me. I am not proud of it, but I let her. She is pretty and I am weak. I threaded my arms behind her back as she put hers around my neck. I felt her lips smile against mine as we kissed.

What brought me back down into reality was when she started to clumsily fiddle with with the buttons at the top of my shirt. I won't lie and say that I hadn't thought about this before. It would be amazing I knew, for both of us.

But I couldn't.

I couldn't do it to Meg. If we got too involved I wouldn't be able to come back. Or worse, she'd be leaving her own kids at Camp Half-Blood in a few years time. Breaking her heart like that was not an acceptable option for me. Not anymore.

I braced my hands against her shoulders and gently pushed her back. "Meg. Meg, no."

She didn't move as she looked at me, brown eyes meeting blue. I could see the fear starting to flicker in her eyes. I pushed on regardless. "We can't do this. You know why. I'd have to stop coming over."

Her eyes dipped. "Apollo, I… I want you to stay with me…"

For a few seconds I was silent. She stared back. Meg leaned in again but I used herculean effort to turn away. As I opened my mouth to speak she stood suddenly and turned away, looking to the rain out the window.

"Just go." She spoke without looking at me. I moved to stand just behind her.

"Meg. You know I care for you. I'd miss you to much."

No response.

"I'll see you soon yeah? Just call if you need me." This time I didn't bother with the door, dissolving into light and leaving Meg alone with her thoughts.

* * *

Back on Olympus, I called out to my sister. Artemis quickly appeared at my side, bow in hand. She looked more around my age this time, as opposed to the twelve year old form she often preferred.

"What?!" she snapped, before seeing the expression on my face. "Brother, are you okay?"

"It happened Arty, you were right. I had to turn her down. I hurt her."

She lead me over to a small wall nearby and we sat side by side. "You did what you had to. I know she will forgive you, though it may take a while."

"I know." I replied. "But it still hurts."

"It does. But it will end. For now though, how about a hunt? Just you and I?"

My spirits lifted. I loved spending time with my twin. "A hunt sounds fantastic."


End file.
